emergency question - dying loach? and ram eggs

[HeatherW]

Hi everyone! don't know what I should do...
I have a 90 gallon tank just finished cycling...
tested the water this morning... had nitrites of .25ppm but that was down after 3 days of 2ppm so I did not do a PWC today (did 2 yesterday)

so here is the problem. i should have 6 polkadot loaches in there - i am having trouble finding them. I see one for sure that looks like he is dying. I have tried to net him out but of course he runs away.

the second factor is my rams just layed eggs!!!

I don't know what I should do. the only thing I can think of is pretty much tear the tank apart trying to get this guy out and not sure that is really such a good idea for my rams... I can try doing a pwc to get the water level down - might make it easier to get him out. or... I could wait until morning and see what happens.

any suggestions??
OK, just retested my nitrites and they are 0ppm

 

[HeatherW]

well I decided to just wait until morning when I have someone else at home (and maybe I am not so tired) to see if I can get them out

 

[bs6749]

Heather, sorry I missed your PM late last night, but I replied to it.

Messing with the rams might not be a bad thing. If you are going to tear the tank apart, you might expect to lose the clutch of eggs, although it isn't a certainty. If you plan to lose the eggs, you might as well slowly place your hand near the ram eggs and have the parents "attack" it. This will encourage a stronger pair bond to form, and if they do eat the eggs, you will most likely see them spawn again in 5-7 days if you keep up on the 25% every other day water changes. Just my two cents.

 

[HeatherW]

well maybe i overreacted... this morning they all seem to be doing fine. maybe they were just "resting". I have never really seen them do that and I have heard they kinda look like they are dead when they do that. In any case I checked today and I see 6 loaches going around looking "loachy" so I guess they are ok.

now i did notice that at least one of the loaches has kinda a round looking belly - looks like he is getting PLENTY to eat, so maybe I should cut down on the food in there...?

 

[bs6749]

Fat fish are happy fish. It is getting all the food that it wants.